David Bianculli

Let's talk a little bit about life on board these boats. Although they were huge vessels, there were so many sailors that unless you were, say, like the captain, you didn't have a lot of personal space, right?

Let's talk a little bit about life on board these boats. Although they were huge vessels, there were so many sailors that unless you were, say, like the captain, you didn't have a lot of personal space, right?

Yeah, like on land, real estate was a reflection of a class society and hierarchical society. So the captain had a great cabin, a large cabin with a balcony overlooking the sea. But the pitting officers were in very small quarters, and the Semen had to sleep on hammocks separated only by about a foot at most, the distance.

Yeah, like on land, real estate was a reflection of a class society and hierarchical society. So the captain had a great cabin, a large cabin with a balcony overlooking the sea. But the pitting officers were in very small quarters, and the Semen had to sleep on hammocks separated only by about a foot at most, the distance.

Yeah, like on land, real estate was a reflection of a class society and hierarchical society. So the captain had a great cabin, a large cabin with a balcony overlooking the sea. But the pitting officers were in very small quarters, and the Semen had to sleep on hammocks separated only by about a foot at most, the distance.

So in jostling seas, their elbows and knees are bouncing against each other.

So in jostling seas, their elbows and knees are bouncing against each other.

So in jostling seas, their elbows and knees are bouncing against each other.

And there could be dozens of boys on board, some as young as six years old. What jobs do they have?

And there could be dozens of boys on board, some as young as six years old. What jobs do they have?

And there could be dozens of boys on board, some as young as six years old. What jobs do they have?

Yeah. So, I mean, what's so interesting about these ships is that they really are these floating civilizations that are almost like a test or experiment in human sociability because people from all walks of lives and all ages are thrown onto these ships. You know, they begin as strangers, most of them. There could be boys as young as six. You could have a... men in their 80s.

Yeah. So, I mean, what's so interesting about these ships is that they really are these floating civilizations that are almost like a test or experiment in human sociability because people from all walks of lives and all ages are thrown onto these ships. You know, they begin as strangers, most of them. There could be boys as young as six. You could have a... men in their 80s.

Yeah. So, I mean, what's so interesting about these ships is that they really are these floating civilizations that are almost like a test or experiment in human sociability because people from all walks of lives and all ages are thrown onto these ships. You know, they begin as strangers, most of them. There could be boys as young as six. You could have a... men in their 80s.

You have aristocrats, you have dandies, you have city paupers, you have professional craftsmen, you have free black seamen. They're each given a different kind of mission on the ship. The boys tended to be, they were like powder monkeys. They would run about carrying the gunpowder in battle.

You have aristocrats, you have dandies, you have city paupers, you have professional craftsmen, you have free black seamen. They're each given a different kind of mission on the ship. The boys tended to be, they were like powder monkeys. They would run about carrying the gunpowder in battle.

You have aristocrats, you have dandies, you have city paupers, you have professional craftsmen, you have free black seamen. They're each given a different kind of mission on the ship. The boys tended to be, they were like powder monkeys. They would run about carrying the gunpowder in battle.

Many of them were there to be trained, to learn how to live on a ship so that they could grow on to become seamen. And some might even be from well-to-do families who are in training to eventually become officers.

Many of them were there to be trained, to learn how to live on a ship so that they could grow on to become seamen. And some might even be from well-to-do families who are in training to eventually become officers.

Many of them were there to be trained, to learn how to live on a ship so that they could grow on to become seamen. And some might even be from well-to-do families who are in training to eventually become officers.